The daylong nationwide hartal, called by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, is being observed amid stray incidents of vandalism, including arson and bomb blast, across the country today (Monday).
The Islamist party called the shutdown on Sunday apparently to protest the verdict to be delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 later in the day in a war crime case against its former ameer Ghulam Azam.
Jamaat acting secretary general Moulana Rafiqul Islam Khan announced the shutdown programme through a press statement a few hours after the ICT-1 announced that it would deliver its verdict on Monday in the case against Ghulam Azam.
According to the reports reaching the UNB news desk, pro-hartal activists vandalised at least 55 vehicles and torched three human haulers (Leguna) and blasted over 28 crude bombs in different parts of the country during hartal.
In capital Dhaka, pickets exploded at least 15 crude bombs at Demra, Rayerbagh and Dhalpur of Jatrabari in the morning.
Pickets torched three human haulers (Leguna) at Shajahanpur and Muktijoddha Sangsad Market area in Mirpur.
Unruly Jamaat-Shibir men vandalised five vehicles in the city’s Rayerbagh area in the morning.
At least 22 people, including 5/6 journalists and two policemen, were injured in separate clashes between hartal supporters and police at Demra and Dhalpur.
At about 6.30am, pickets made a fire on rail line pouring petrol in Doyaganj area.
Later, police extinguished the blaze.
At about 7.00am, pickets snatched a pistol from a police officer during clash between police and them in Nodda under Bhatara Police Station.
Vehicular movement on the city streets was almost normal.
Huge police and Rab members have been put on high alert in the city to avert any unpleasant incident during the hartal hours.
In different districts, pickets vandalised 50 vehicles of different modes and exploded at least 13 crude bombs. Police fired 49 rounds of rubber bullet to disperse the trouble makers.
In Bogra, Jamaat-Shibir activists brought out a procession at Sheujgazi of Station Road of the town around 5.00am.
They also exploded three crude bombs targeting police, which triggered a clash.
Police lobbed teargas shells and at least 23 rounds of rubber bullet to disperse the procession as the activists of Jamaat-Shibir burnt tyres on the road in protest.
Police arrested two people after a chase and counter-chase took place between police and Jamaat-Shibir men in the area.
Meanwhile, at least 50 vehicles were vandalised by the hartal supporters at Erulia and Mahasthan in Sadar upazila and in Shahjahanpur upazila during the strike.
In Comilla, pro-hartal activists brought out separate processions in the city and other parts of the district in support of the strike.
Hartal supporters blocked road by burning tyres and placing bricks in Naogaon Chaumuhuni area of the city in the morning.
Police fired 20 rounds of rubber bullet to disperse the hartal supporters which triggered a clash as the hartal activists also exploded 10 crude bombs.
Pickets torched a motorcycle and injured two sources of police during the clash.
Police also fired six rounds of rubber bullet and arrested six people on charge of picketing in Yusufpur Road area of Debidwar upazila during the strike.
Incidents of violence during the shutdown were also reported from Satkhira and Natore districts.
Source: UNBConnect
